A standard two-wheel caster of the type used on heavy furniture, beds, garbage receptacles, and the like has a body, a shaft projecting horizontally through the body along a shaft axis and having opposite ends projecting axially oppositely from the body, respective wheels rotatable on the ends of the shaft and having outer tread parts axially delimiting a space partially containing the body, and an upright pivot pin having a lower end projecting into the body offset from the shaft axis along a pivot axis. The body can pivot about the pin to align the shaft axis perpendicular to the direction the caster is to roll in. Such systems are described in German utility model G 84 24 068 and German patent document 2,334,324 of H-C. Maier.
Typically the body extends forward out of the between-wheel space and is there provided with bearings in which the pivot pin is seated. Thus there is quite some spacing between the pivot axis and the shaft axis, making the caster body a fairly long lever that subjects these bearings to quite some stress. The long body also means that the item supported must be swung through a relatively wide arc to change direction of travel, and gives the caster an ungainly appearance. Furthermore the wide gap thus left between the wheels can trap dirt and things hanging in the way of the caster, and also presents an unattractive appearance.